Brian Skerry's Pheonix Rising Documentary

Was watching a ''behind the shot'' type NG documentary as I was flying home yesterday. After some initial excitement as the photographer, Brian Skerry, was someone I had a huge amount of respect for, and the subject matters, the Phoenix Islands, was of great interested to me having watched Greg Stones talks on TED, I quickly became disillusioned. Every shot of Mr Skerry shows him standing or lying or otherwise making contact with the substrate. I don t understand how that is considered acceptable behaviour and to me it makes a mockery of the said photographers stated intention to highlight environmental issues within the ocean realm. Divers that make contact and destroy the substrate due to lack of buoyancy control IS a pressing issue at many busy dive locations.

I don t want to get on my high horse, but I don t see how engaging in that sort of behaviour, let alone broadcasting it as the accepted modus operandi of a very successful photographer, is responsible in any way. Perhaps I am over reacting, but there is definitely a palpable sense of disappointment from an organization and photographer I thought would have known better.

What are your thoughts?

E

I agree with you. It is an issue that needs to keep being addressed. Diving photographers should be at the forefront of preservation.

Of course I realize just my being their is detrimental but it is my line in the substrate.

Of course I realize just my being their is detrimental but it is my line in the substrate.

Everything we do as a human being is going to have some sort of impact on the environment, as you say but you d like to think that people would do their most to limit this.

Enjoying the subtronics btw